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Christmas Message 2013

Well It’s that time of year again, when we post our Christmas message to send out a seasonal blessing to all our friends across the nations and also give a brief update on our family and ministry.
2013 has been another challenging year for Iris and myself starting back in January when after her annual routine scan Iris was told she needed further surgery. The surgery took place in March and the pathology results were great though it left Iris with just one third of her bowel and some significant life changes. Not the least of these, being able to travel on extended journeys.
The good news is however that we were able to undertake a significant ministry trip in October but more of that later.

Our family continue to grow up with three teenagers at the top of our group of nine grandchildren. Go to the nations or Celtic wander lust seems to be the word for at least part of our family as while our daughter Carol and her family are still living in Greece, our eldest son David and his family emigrated in February with David’s job to California. Two of our sons still live here in Ireland and in September,one of them, our youngest son Ted got married.

On the ministry front as you can imagine it has been a bit quiet over the last two years, however in the summer I did manage to take a solo trip to meet up with some dear First Nations friends in Ottawa. This was a special time that was clearly at the Lord’s prompting, though I did not know why at the time. So it was with great relief when I heard what Father was wanting to say to me.
By October Iris was up to trying a longer trip to mainland UK and so we planned it with lots of stop over rest times included. Twelve days where we drove at least some part of every country in all parts of the British Isles. We first of all drove down to Rosslare In the Republic of Ireland, crossing over the next morning into Wales. In Wales we met up for lunch with an old friend Roy Hackett before traveling on tho Neath to meet up with John and Ann Powell and their Church on the Move. We had a fantastic weekend in Neath and both ministered at the Sunday meeting before traveling on on Monday to Ffald y Brenin where we really got refreshed in the Lord’s presence and the shear beauty of the place.
Next we traveled up to Manchester to meet up with Carl and Rebekah Brettle and their new little son Reuben.
Two further days in the Lake District on our way to meet up with Mulberry House Fellowship in Sunderland. Anne, Alwyn and their fantastic faith body always show such love and encouragement to Iris and myself that this is truly two way ministering.

Our little epic journey ended with a further trip up to Scotland to spend our last night meeting up with some of my Scottish family before traveling back to Cairnryan finishing almost 1,000 miles.

Our updated web site is courtesy of David our eldest son and hasn’t he done a great job. Perhaps in 2014 I’ll be more encouraged to post more news and perhaps some Celtic topics.

For now, may you know the blessedness of Christmas and celebrate God’s wondrous gift in a deeper way entering 2014 with renewed faith and hope.